Outgoing PHC CJ forms new courts for swift inheritance cases resolution

PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim served as PHC CJ for 10 months during which over 23,000 cases were decided. The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) had recently approved his elevation as judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim was appointed as an ad-hoc judge of the Peshawar High Court on August 11, 2016, and took oath as chief justice on April 15, 2024.During his 10-month tenure, 20,438 new cases were filed in the PHC, while 23,317 cases were decided, achieving a case disposal rate of 113 percent. As a High Court judge, he decided a total of 19,800 cases.

He also introduced significant judicial reforms, including the establishment of special inheritance courts for the swift resolution of inheritance cases and the initiation of online case proceedings in the Service Tribunal.

He also ended the summer vacations, formed special benches, and categorised cases to expedite their resolution.Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim also took strict measures to ensure the security of judges and implemented various judicial reforms while maintaining strong relations with the bar associations.

Following his elevation to the Supreme Court, senior judges in consideration for the PHC chief justice position include Justice Ijaz Anwar, Justice SM Attique Shah, and Justice Syed Arshad Ali.